Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome will be among the stars to look out for in the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire men’s race.

Froome will lead the first outing of Team Ineos in their official new kit after the takeover from Team Sky.

Another legend of the sport competing will be sprinter Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), a true icon of cycling with 30 Tour de France stage wins in a glittering career, including the 2011 UCI Road World Championships title and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Two former Tour de Yorkshire champions – Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) and Serge Pauwels (CCC Team) are also competing.

Last year’s winner Van Avermaet, 33, says: "It's always a nice feeling to line up at a race with number one on your back as defending champion.

Last year’s Tour de Yorkshire winner Greg Van Avermaet will be defending his title (Image: SWPixco)

IN PICTURES: Tour De Yorkshire 2019

Kittel, a 14-time Tour de France stage winner, is regarded as one of the finest sprinters in the world and has not raced in Yorkshire since 2015.

Yorkshire’s Harry Tanfield pulled off one of the most memorable wins in the race’s history last year when he achieved a stunning solo success in Doncaster. Tanfield says: “Last year’s win was the best result I’ve ever had and the Tour de Yorkshire is so well known.

Yorkshire's own Harry Tanfield was a hit at the Tour de Yorkshire last year (Image: SWPixcom)

“After stage one I was wearing a jersey every day. I couldn't believe it.”

Yorkshire fans will also be delighted to see Doncaster’s Connor Swift making his return to home roads in the national champion’s jersey.

British road race champion Connor Swift will hope to be celebrating on Sunday (Image: SWPixcom)

The 23-year-old Madison Genesis rider says: “Being able to race the Tour de Yorkshire in the national champion’s jersey and having the fans supporting me will be smashing.

“Cycling in Yorkshire has a massive following and we’re expecting huge crowds.”

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“To be able to race on some of the World Championships course is an opportunity not to be missed and I can’t wait to be back on home roads and racing in front of home crowds again.”

Also racing will be Marianne Vos (CCC-Liv), the most successful female rider of her generation with numerous national, world and Olympic titles on her impressive prize list. Vos says: "I am looking forward to riding in Yorkshire.

World and Olympic star Marianne Vos (Image: SWPixcom)

“Last year I noticed on television that cycling is very much alive there.”

Yorkshire rider Abby-Mae Parkinson and Olympic gold medallist Elinor Barker are lining up for the British Team Drops outfit.

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Reigning world time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten, who rides for Mitchelton Scott, is one of the most decorated riders in the female peloton.

As well as winning the UCI Road World Championships time trial last year, she is also the current Giro Rosa, Women’s World Tour and La Course by Le Tour de France champion. She said: “The crowds in the UK are always super awesome so I expect that in this race as well.”

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